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12

Feb

Welcome Class of 2018!

Every year Intergen brings in a bunch of eager, enthusiastic and slightly nervous graduates – and this year was no different.

Months of hard work from the P&P team is “paid off” in one of the most rewarding weeks of the Intergen calendar, Grad Bootcamp. Over the years bootcamp week has evolved, bringing many of the key teachings out of the office and into the woods. The idea is the same: prepare our graduates for a successful career at Intergen by equipping them with the tools and knowledge to leap out of the box relatively gracefully.

After navigating the first challenge of finding the shuttle driver at the airport and getting to the Wellington office for 9am, we ease into working life with a bit of psychology, an intro to the company from Simon Bright himself, and we finish off the office day with an example of a successful client relationship in action – complete with chocolate being thrown at you if you do something right.

Then the fun begins as we head out to the ever-growing Makahika Outdoor Pursuits Centre where the real learning begins. Over the next three days we mix in some intentional fun (who doesn’t like flying through the night sky attached to a zip wire?) and unintentional fun (inappropriately affectionate pug), with hard work (logs anyone?) and important lessons (oh hello, cortisol).

Why do we do this? People learn through experience and by doing. So through the activities at Makahika, all our graduates are stretched outside of their comfort zones to discover new limits and hidden strengths. We learn the importance of communication with our clients and each other, ignoring any needs will not end well, and eating breakfast before the client, well… that’s just rude! We get to see in practice how, when we “unite as one team”, our objectives are more attainable, mountains more climbable, logs more carry-able.

And, most importantly, we get to feel that rush of joy when we achieve something we never thought we could, because our team had our backs, and we grew with each experience.

The result? Twenty new Intergenites who are equipped with the skills they need to thrive in their careers, and full of warm fuzzy feelings for themselves, each other, and a newfound appreciation for first world amenities, like being able to Google the answers to all of life’s burning questions.

Bootcamp was a really great way to break the ice with fellow grads and learn about the Intergen values. I found that after going through each challenging activity, we better understood how to work together to complete the task at hand. Having to balance your focus between the activity, the team and the client was pretty challenging at times as we would sometimes do one or two and neglect one of the others. By the end of camp our team was working well off each other’s strengths and we were paying much more attention to our clients.

What I enjoyed most was the feeling of accomplishment when overcoming a tough challenge with my team. Some of my camp highlights include when my team smashed the record time for the Poisonous River challenge, going down the flying fox and the epic ghost stories late at night.

Something that really surprised me was that every team was able to complete all the challenges by overcoming their fears and encouraging each other.

An important learning for me was that leaders don’t have to be the loudest – often it’s the quiet person who makes the best leader.

What I’m most looking forward to is being able to meet the awesome and talented people at Intergen and learn from them.

My advice to students would be to put yourself out there and look out for opportunities, focus on your strengths and try to show employers what makes you different. Also make sure that you practice your soft skills – they’re really handy for interviews!

My bootcamp experience, personally, was a big social media detox! Jokes aside, the camp was a complete success. It didn’t just make me confident about myself but also with the whole Intergen community. One moment, I’m in a competitive push-ups competition with a GM, next thing you know I’m having a casual dinner with the CEO! The culture is something Intergen really prides themselves on and the camp was just the best way to be welcomed into the Intergen family.

What did I enjoy the most?

What I enjoyed the most was our team chemistry progression. We were split into three teams for the entire four days of the bootcamp but it felt like we had known each other for years, splitting on the last day became really difficult as we headed back to our respective offices.

Any surprises?

As far as surprises go, every day was a surprise. Each activity we had, we’d been thrown a little curveball to keep us on our toes. But we’ve realised its importance as it gave us a taste of how things are in the real world with real projects and real curveballs that could change the whole initial approach of the project.

Biggest lesson learned?

The biggest (and most repetitive) lesson I’ve learned from the camp is the importance of knowing and catering to the client’s needs and wants. We awfully disappointed our clients on the very first activity as we ignored them throughout the whole task. But we quickly turned things around for the rest of the time we were at camp with them. We went from giving them the cold shoulder to treating them like royals.

Knowing what you know now, thinking back to your time as a student, based on your experience what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

There are a lot of IT firms who are looking for eager grads. I would strongly suggest to look for the right environment for you whether that be with the geographical, cultural or the core values the organisation holds. Because at the end of the day, you don’t want to just land a job but you want a career.

Ujwal Pebbeti

If you only had five words to describe your bootcamp week, what would they be?

Eye-opening, challenging, fun, team building and competitive.

What did you enjoy the most? Any surprises? Biggest lesson learned?

I really enjoyed bootcamp. It was a great way to meet all the new graduates and to also experience Intergen’s values and culture first-hand. Everyone I met during my time at bootcamp was friendly and helpful.

Of all the challenging activities that I was involved in, what I enjoyed the most was the flying fox.

The biggest lesson I learned from bootcamp was the importance of uniting as one team and asking questions.

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

I am looking forward to seeking new challenges, the opportunity to work with other amazing people and to grow myself personally and professionally.

Knowing what you know now, thinking back to your time as a student, what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

To students looking to start their career in the IT field, I would firstly say: Believe in yourself and in your abilities. Be hungry for success and show your passion. Try to get practical work experience through internships or through projects. Ensure that you improve your soft skills as they matter as much as your technical skills.

Joshua D’Souza

If you only had five words to describe your bootcamp week, what would they be?

Values, teamwork, bonding, learning, logs.

What did you enjoy the most? Any surprises? Biggest lesson learned?

I enjoyed bonding with other grads and learning what makes them tick. I really believe that we were a collection of individuals on camp but all three teams became strong units throughout the tough physical, mental, and action-packed challenges we completed. My group (Team Interface) had seven grads that brought a wide range of skills, ideas, and personalities to the table and we all contributed to our team’s growth, learning and success. I also enjoyed the talks from the guest speakers which brought a fresh perspective on how to handle different real world situations and gave advice based on their past experiences.

My biggest lesson is hard to pick because there was a lot that I learned, but I feel that I gained a better understanding of my personality type and how to use that to better function in team based environments. I also learnt that being a good leader is about playing to the team’s strengths and creating a healthy environment for the group to function.

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

Real-world experience is something that no textbook can teach, and that’s something I’m looking forward to in my role at Intergen. The company culture seems to heavily promote personal and professional growth and I think that I will benefit heaps from it.

Knowing what you know now, thinking back to your time as a student, what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

Don’t get discouraged when your few first rounds of applications don’t land you an interview (or even a response). Be persistent and try to find an employer that values the things that you believe in. It will probably be a much better fit for you anyway.

I enjoyed the fact that the bootcamp was a first time experience for me. First time doing the flying fox, highropes, even camping in a tent (in a place that is not the backyard/garden), etc..

There were moments that were really challenging and nerve-wracking, but the overall result for me was great.

The main surprise for me was the fact that all our challenges included heights. A lot of them. Heights here, heights there and I am thinking to myself I am going to break my neck any time soon. Luckily, that did not happen. A teammate told me, “Once you learn to trust the gear (and the instructor), you will overcome your fear.” Something to take with you if you want to try heights-related activities.

I learned so many lessons and I actually witnessed the results of lessons that we learned before but never really understood how important they are. Two lessons that I would like to emphasise:

Teamwork is the key to achieve good results; enjoy your work and overcome your weaknesses.

Never be afraid to share your thoughts no matter how silly you think they are; you are the only voice they have.

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

I am looking forward to acquiring new skills and utilising the skills that I have learned so far in the real world, learning about and from different people and different teams, exploring the continuously growing world of IT and contributing to it.

Knowing what you know now, at the end of week one (and a bit), what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

There is no dumb question. Keep asking questions, because if you don’t you won’t learn and you won’t get experience. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind and suggest your thoughts/solutions; the worst thing that can happen is that people might disagree. And finally, learn how to communicate with your teammates and people in general. Try to do group projects and practise public speaking a bit.

A note on the side: Intergen bootcamp, you will never go hungry.

Archana Nayak

Studied: University of AucklandPosition: Graduate Developer, Modern ApplicationsLocation: Auckland office

Bootcamp for me was about realising my confidence level while working in a team, under pressure. One of the biggest challenges I experienced was ‘The Ladder’ activity wherein we had to walk up the ladder and stand on it keeping arms open. Being a person scared of heights I found it really challenging, but was successfully able to complete all the levels. I believe that I was able to complete all the levels of the activity because I trusted my team members who were actually holding and pulling the ladder from four sides. So moral of the story is always trust your team members.

I am looking forward to working on real-world industry projects by applying my knowledge obtained from university and exploring new technologies.

Tips for students looking to find IT jobs would be IT is all about learning new technologies, face the challenges and learn from the mistakes.

Alex Sun

Bootcamp for me was an unforgettable experience, totally out of my comfort zone. We met each other with a handshake and said goodbye to each other with a big hug. During those four days, I have learned so many things that could be life-changing.

From log carrying every morning at 6 o’clock to conquering my fear of heights through the support of my team. I have learned how to be a good team member, trust my team, be supportive and step back when necessary. Along with how to care for clients, meeting their needs, thinking from their perspective and giving them more options rather than just saying no. With the surprise of having no phone signal at all, I started to interact with people more, rather than playing with my phone.

The biggest lesson I learned is to believe in yourself. Sometimes you could do so much better than you think, trusting in other people and thinking about the overall goal such as the objectives of the task, not jumping into tasks immediately.

I am looking forward to learning more things from work, being a part of the exciting projects and moving my career to the next stage.

Lastly, for students who are looking for jobs in IT, IT is a big concept and includes a wide range of fields. You need to know which area you really have passion in then you will find it’s no longer an assignment or a job for you, but a new interest you have discovered and IT companies will like people who have passion for IT.

Jason Wright

If I had to describe bootcamp in five words, they would be: challenging, surprising, inspiring, insightful, pug. That pug was going off the rails – I can’t wait to hear about the adventures of Max and Sammy from next year’s grads!

What did you enjoy the most? Any surprises? Biggest lesson learned?

I really enjoyed getting to know the other grads and how we worked as a unit to complete our tasks and learn about the Intergen values along the way. It was interesting to see how every Intergenite we met embodied the Intergen values in their own unique way.

I was actually really surprised at how well I handled the physical challenges of bootcamp – I doubt that I would have performed as well without my team encouraging me! The biggest lesson I learned is that EQ and IQ go hand in hand. There isn’t much value in being a genius if you aren’t able to communicate your ideas in the right way.

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

I am looking forward to developing myself further as a young professional, and putting my skills to good use. I’m excited at the prospect of making a difference to the lives of our clients and the people they serve while championing the Intergen values along the way.

Knowing what you know now, at the end of week one (and a bit), what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

The advice I’d give to students looking to find jobs in IT: try to apply for jobs that will develop your ability to communicate with others – it simply isn’t enough just to be a good developer! Play to your strengths and apply for jobs in the areas of study that you enjoyed the most. The passion you show counts for a lot more in the recruitment process than you’d think!

Isabel Zhuang

Studied: University of AucklandPosition: Graduate Developer, Modern ApplicationsLocation: Auckland office

If you only had five words to describe your bootcamp week, what would they be?

Tiring, exciting, shocking, interesting, demanding.

What did you enjoy the most? Any surprises? Biggest lesson learned?

I learnt a lot about myself during bootcamp, especially about my strengths and weaknesses while working with new members in a team. I enjoyed how my team got closer as we worked together, even though we made mistakes along the way, which allowed us to learn the important lesson of setting time aside to plan.

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

I’m looking forward to being part of real-world projects and working with the new people in my team.

Knowing what you know now, at the end of week one (and a bit), what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

Always apply early and to as many places as you can because every interview will inevitably help you do better at your next one. In addition, get involved in extra-curricular activities because even though grades are a factor, these activities tell employers a lot about your character and the causes you care about too.

Ella Underdown-Gray

If you only had five words to describe your bootcamp week, what would they be?

Energising, fun, challenging, collaborative, thought-provoking.

What did you enjoy the most? Any surprises? Biggest lesson learned?

I absolutely loved bootcamp! On day one we all started in the office not knowing everyone and attempting to mingle in a formal environment but by the end of camp we were a tight-knit team cheering each other on to complete high ropes course challenges.

My favourite moment was being able to watch both myself and others grow and be pushed out of their comfort zone, trying new things and expanding skill sets. Watching people who were afraid of heights complete the high ropes activities was such a positive moment. It was also interesting to observe and be a part of how my team reacted to client requests and reflecting on what might be done differently next time. The biggest lesson I learned was to not keep going down the wrong path if you are unsure and to turn around and come back the way you came as this is how my group got lost and ended up walking for an extra 45 minutes longer than necessary….

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

I am looking forward to all the growth and learning opportunities I will encounter and being able to work with such a knowledgeable group of people. I am excited to make a difference to someone else through my role and be a part of a strong and successful team environment.

Knowing what you know now, thinking back to your time as a student, what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

Go for it! Don’t be afraid to apply because you learn so much solely from an interview process. Be passionate, positive and confident about who you are and why you like IT.

Kay Evans

If you only had five words to describe your bootcamp week, what would they be?

Teamwork, challenging, fun, hungry clients.

What did you enjoy the most? Any surprises? Biggest lesson learned?

I really enjoyed the whole bootcamp experience. I have been working at Intergen for four months already and I felt that the bootcamp solidified the values and culture that Intergen promotes. I enjoyed the ladder challenge the most as I felt our team (Team Face!) really came together to rally each other through a series of progressively more difficult feats involving standing on the top of a ladder held up by your teammates. We even got to the secret level of balancing on one leg up there. My biggest surprise was when we were doing the abseil task and the instructor brought out a blindfold as this had not been in the brief. This ties into my biggest lesson learned which is: get as much information about a task/project that you can! Never assume, even if you think you know what they are talking about.

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

Working with my team members on delivering some really great projects to our clients and continuously developing myself. Every day is a school day. Also the salary that comes with the full-time job means I have more opportunities for fun things outside of work (more scuba gear – yay!).

Knowing what you know now, thinking back to your time as a student, what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

Work hard and be yourself. You don’t need to know everything because you will learn the important stuff. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Biochemist to NAV Consultant is a bit of a jump but it’s been a great one!

Andrew Robilliard

My bootcamp experience summed up in five words would have to be “anxious, intense, growth, teamwork, and friendship.” I think we were all feeling a bit shy when we turned up early in Wellington on Tuesday, but by the end of the week, we were as close as could be.

A stand out activity for me would undoubtedly have been the so-called “ladder climb” activity. It involved climbing increasingly higher up a ladder that was stabilised by team members holding ropes. I think this task really stood out to me as our team really showed commitment to each other, but also compassion and companionship when assisting and encouraging others to take up the challenge. We had a few team members who were scared of heights, yet by the end of the task were practically scurrying up the ladder and leaping at the chance to push themselves. This to me really emphasised the capabilities of working as a team to overcome challenges that may not be possible individually without the assistance and encouragement of a team.

The thing that I’m looking forward to about joining the IT industry, and Intergen, in particular, is the opportunity to grow my skills while contributing and helping real companies that matter to the New Zealand economy. Having the ability to join projects that have the potential to make a real difference to clients is something that I find really exciting, and I can’t wait to take part.

After my short time at Intergen, the number one thing I would say to students seeking a job in IT is not to discount the value of interpersonal skills. While things like a good foundation in coding and understanding of how a database works are essential aspects of the industry, IT is moving more in the direction of adapting and applying technology to precisely suit the needs of the user, not just coding the next big thing. Understanding the needs of clients and building a stable relationship with them is quickly becoming a vital aspect of the job, so I would definitely recommend trying to develop leadership skills and public speaking skills while studying.

Ollie Nees

If you only had five words to describe your bootcamp week, what would they be?

Challenging, exciting, fun, insightful, team-building.

What did you enjoy the most? Any surprises? Biggest lesson learned?

Bootcamp was a great experience where I got to know a whole bunch of people very quickly, particularly my team! I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, so the whole experience was an ongoing nice surprise. My favourite part of the trip was the three-hour hike on the Thursday morning. My team worked fantastically together and with our client, and managed to complete the challenge first. The biggest lesson I learned was to take a step back to get a more complete view of the situation before diving straight into the solution.

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

Working alongside a great team of talented individuals, and developing some good skills myself.

Knowing what you know now, thinking back to your time as a student, what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

Apply for anything as early as you can, and that while your grades aren't unimportant, fitting into a team is a critical part of work life.

Emily McConnachie

In five words, bootcamp was a challenging, supportive, thought-provoking, exciting and new experience for me.

I don’t think you could have a more unique start to your career than bootcamp – who knew I would discover a love for heights and thrilling activities! Aside from making sure to pile on the sunscreen and bugspray, the biggest lesson I learned was that rather than letting the highest-skilled person complete a specific task alone while supporting them from the side, the task was completed more efficiently when everyone pitched in.

Entering the working world, I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge and proving myself to be an invaluable member of the yellow team.

To students looking to find jobs in IT, I would recommend taking every learning opportunity you can and to think of every experience as a tool you can use in the future.

Matt Puryer-Smith

If you only had five words to describe your bootcamp week, what would they be?

Teamwork – yay! Sleep – nay…

What did you enjoy the most? Any surprises? Biggest lesson learned?

Having already been at Intergen for six months, I was anxious to meet the new Intergenites, who to my surprise, were all reserved individuals. The first night I had the pleasure of sharing a room with two Intergenites embracing their inner bears (a bit of snoring!). The following morning, you can imagine my enthusiasm when told we had to split up into teams, then carry two logs and a 25-litre container filled with water 25 minutes away from camp and back, before breakfast! Sarcasm aside, this felt like the true beginning of our camp. With each challenge we overcame, our sweat and tears mixed together to make a lovely shade of yellow. Through the mist of sweat it became apparent that all the grads were fun, positive and slightly freaky people! When’s the next bootcamp?

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

Since I was young, I always wanted to be an adult, and look! I made it! Responsibility, challenges, progression and expendable income! These things have all hit me like a wrecking ball, and if anyone wants to take them away from me, they will need to pry them from my cold, greasy developer hands!

Knowing what you know now, thinking back to your time as a student, what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

Remain positive and learn from your failures! As Bob Ross would say, “We don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents”.

Anton Pagalilawan

If I were to describe bootcamp in five words, it would be: tiring, challenging, exciting, educational and fun.

Bootcamp certainly gave me plenty of memories that I will treasure. Working in a team where you don’t know anyone started off as quite challenging, but by the end we had bonded quite a bit and were able to help each other out when needed, especially when we got lost in the bush! Not only do you bond with your team, but also with the other graduates as you all learn very valuable life skills together. It was a great ice breaker for everyone and helped increase the confidence before we entered the “real world”.

I’m looking forward to applying what I’ve learned over the years, and being able to learn more and connect with more people.

My advice for students looking for a job in IT is to never be afraid to ask questions. There are no stupid questions, and the more you ask, the less you assume. Be confident in your skills and don’t worry about not knowing everything; you keep on learning even while you work. In saying that, you need to be willing to learn and adapt to what life throws at you. If you can do at least one of those, you’re already on the right track.

Callum McCaul

If you only had five words to describe your bootcamp week, what would they be?

Exciting, surprising, demanding, physical, entertaining.

What did you enjoy the most? Any surprises? Biggest lesson learned?

As an outdoorsy person, I was worried the ‘taking you out of your comfort zone’ sales pitch would not apply and I would find myself bored by repetitive and basic activities. However, this bootcamp turned out to be so much more than just Year 8 camp all over again, with so much knowledge and ideas, and chances to learn and grow in the context of something I have never done before; working as part of a large organisational team.

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

Contributing to something that’s non-theoretical… university projects, whilst fun, are largely pointless and have no meaning in the real world. I want to build stuff that actually gets used by people.

Knowing what you know now, thinking back to your time as a student, what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

Find what makes you different to other grads…. We can’t all be the smartest in exactly what we studied, but much more than that defines what makes you a good prospective employee and co-worker.

Aaron Pang

If you only had five words to describe your bootcamp week, what would they be?

Friendship, learning, perseverance, challenging and fun.

What did you enjoy the most? Any surprises? Biggest lesson learned?

Bootcamp was an amazing experience where I learned a lot about myself and my team. We started off not knowing each other to then becoming friends (hopefully) by the end of it. It was a really good way to get to know people in a more informal environment where there are less barriers. We trusted each other and worked our way through the challenges by playing to our strengths and uniting as one team. My favourite part of the camp was encouraging one of our team members through his fear of heights and getting him to conquer the aptly-named “ladder challenge”, which involved climbing up a ladder supported by ropes held by your teammates.

The biggest surprise was that there were two dogs at the camp, which was an unexpected, yet welcome surprise! Probably the biggest lesson that I learned is that it always pays to ask lots of questions and be very sure of your requirements before doing something, as well as keeping an eye on the bigger picture and not letting the individual tasks get in the way of that (no matter how gruelling they may be!).

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

I think that the part of full-time work I’m looking forward to most is the ability to learn and develop my skills, as well as make some (hopefully) life-long friendships and to get to know all the awesome people that work at Intergen.

Knowing what you know now, thinking back to your time as a student, what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

Play to your strengths. Look at what you’re good at or enjoy and try to find work that will be similar to that. But at the same time, don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and to learn from your mistakes. Sometimes, the best way to learn is through your failures. If you have passion and care about what you do, people will notice that and pay attention.

Matthew Tucker

If you only had five words to describe your bootcamp week, what would they be?

Challenging, exciting, motivating, enlightening, and fun!

What did you enjoy the most? Any surprises? Biggest lesson learned?

It was great to get away from technology for a bit. Everyone sat around the table chatting without checking Facebook every few minutes. I loved working as a team and putting our combined skills to the test in multiple activities. The biggest lesson I learned was that to succeed you need a diverse range of skills and people in order to cover all bases and not miss an opportunity!

What are you looking forward to most about entering the working world full-time?

I am looking forward to learning new skills and seeing my work improve the working conditions of others!

Knowing what you know now, thinking back to your time as a student, what advice or tips would you give students looking to find jobs in IT?

When you come upon a difficult task, do not give up if you don't succeed after the first few goes. Technology is great in that there are many ways to reach a goal! When applying for jobs, go to all the careers expos and company talks you can. They give you a basic feel for the company and whether you want to pursue them. Also, apply early! Many of the good grad roles close sooner than you might think!